CCAE's free concert series expands

For eight years now, the California Center for the Arts,
Escondido, has offered free performances on the first Wednesdays of
each month, courtesy of a grant from Wells Fargo Bank. Even without
much promotion, the monthly 4 p.m. concerts usually filled the
400-seat Center Theater.

So when the First Wednesdays series launches its 2006-07 season
next week, there will be good news for those who've been turned
away at the door in past years. To accommodate demand, a 7 p.m.
performance has been added for all First Wednesday shows. Not only
will this allow more people to see the shows but also serves people
whose work schedules prevented them from attending in the past,
Christian Wolf, the center's director of performing arts, said in a
statement.

Kicking off the season at 4 and 7 p.m. Sept. 6 will be
Tapsounds, a high-energy tap-dancing trio. Other shows in the First
Wednesday lineup are the Gypsy jazz ensemble Hot Fab Djazz Club on
Oct. 4; the one-man comedy play "Man 1, Bank 0" on Nov. 1; rock/pop
artist Trevor Davis on Dec. 6; boogie-woogie pianist Sue Palmer on
Jan. 3; Unity Dance Ensemble on Feb. 7; Devine Guitar Ensemble and
the Milder Duo on March 7; bluesman Bill Magee on April 4; Rossina
Greico, a teen piano prodigy, on May 3; and the Renaissance chamber
ensemble Courtly Noyse on June 6.

Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis.

It may be hard to see it under her black wig and heavy eye
makeup, but Diane Vincent -- who's playing the faux Chinese
landlady Mrs. Meers through Sept. 3 in "Thoroughly Modern Millie"
at Vista's Moonlight Amphitheatre -- is a redhead at heart.

The L.A.-based actress is one of only two people in the world
licensed by Lucille Ball's estate to portray the flame-haired
television comedian. When she's not performing onstage, Vincent has
a full-time job at Universal Studios playing Lucille Ball's
television alter-ego Lucy Ricardo from CBS's "I Love Lucy," and she
performs as Lucy at events all over the country, including the
semi-annual Lucy festival in Ball's hometown of Jamestown, N.Y.

Vincent, who moved at age 7 to L.A. from Indianapolis (her
father was an actor), said she'd been told over the years that she
resembled Ball, but it wasn't until 1995, when she saw an audition
notice for Lucy Ricardo impersonators at Universal Studios, that
she decided to give the character a try.

After nine months of auditions, she landed the job and she now
works as a "strolling entertainer" at the L.A. theme park's Lucille
Ball museum.

Vincent said playing Lucy is in her blood, having grown up
watching "I Love Lucy" reruns on television and knowing every line
and episode by heart.

"I've absorbed the character by osmosis, I've got natural
comedic sensibilities and some people say I remind them of Lucy,"
Vincent said. "I don't really look like her, but I've got the right
facial structure, so once you add the wigs, the lips and lashes, it
all comes together. I just try to capture the comedy and heart of
her."

Vincent said playing Lucy is a pleasure because Ball is such a
revered icon.

"People who respond to Lucy and see her in 3-D want to feel the
love of the show and try to embrace that. She's so loved and it's
an honor and a privilege to play her," she said.

Thanks to cable TV networks such as Nickelodeon and TVLand, the
popularity of "I Love Lucy" endures and even seems to be growing,
said Vincent, who added that she has no plans to give up the Lucy
role.

"It's been a great ride and it's been a good living and I'll do
it as long as the face holds up," she joked, adding that as she
ages she can play some of Ball's TV and stage characters from later
in life. "After I'm done with Lucy Ricardo, then I can be Lucy
Carmichael, then Lucy Carter, then 'Mame' Lucy, and then finally
'Stone Pillow' Lucy."

More than 150 ukulele strummers gathered Aug. 20 in San Diego to
break the world record for, well, ukulele strummers.

The event occurred at day two of the San Diego Ukulele Festival,
held Aug. 19-20 on Shelter Island. The two-day festival celebrated
ukulele music and Hawaiian culture. At last year's event, 125
strummers played their instruments at the same time to get into the
Guinness Book of World Records (for most people playing the ukulele
together at one time). This year, festival organizers wanted to
break the record. On the first day of the festival, Aug. 19, the
count fell short at just 120, but on Aug. 20, 151 players turned
out and a new record was set.

The Theatre in Old Town's production of "Forbidden Broadway:
Special Victims Unit" has been extended as a result of overwhelming
ticket demand.

Originally scheduled to close on Sept. 17, the production will
now run through Oct. 15.

"Forbidden Broadway" first played at the Old Town theater last
spring and sales were so strong that when the company's summer
staging of "Das Barbecu" closed quickly due to disappointing ticket
sales, they decided to bring "Forbidden Broadway" back for another
run.

For tickets, call (619) 688-2494.

If you've ever admired the lavish costumes and props onstage at
the Old Globe, now's your chance to make them your own.

The Old Globe is planning to thin out its costume and prop shop
with a public sale on Oct. 14.

For sale will be costumes by nationally known costume designers
including Jess Goldstein, Gregg Barnes, Robert Blackman, Robert
Morgan, Lewis Brown, Robert Wojewodski, Linda Cho and Kay Voyce.
Among the shows in which these costumes were featured include
"Lucky Duck," "Much Ado About Nothing," "Macbeth," "Hamlet," "Our
Town" and "Henry IV." Also for sale will be costumes worn by
well-known actors including Mary Louise Parker, Marcia Cross,
Cynthia Nixon, Dana Delaney, Mariette Hartley, John Goodman, Billy
Campbell and others.

There will also be furniture for sale from recent Globe
productions including "Moonlight and Magnolias," "The Constant
Wife" and "Nixon's Nixon," as well as more than 50 prop pieces from
various shows.

The sale will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 14 on the
Lowell Davies Festival Theatre Stage.

For more information, go to www.theoldglobe.org.

The Old Globe is going binational with the inauguration of a new
Latin-themed special event for Latinos who love theater.

On Sept. 14, the Globe will present Noche Bajo las Estrellas, a
reception/theater package created to attract Latinos to the
Globe.

The program begins at 6 p.m. with a pre-show hosted reception
with wine, martinis and appetizers, followed by backstage tours and
a performance of Hershey Felder's "George Gershwin Alone." Tickets
for the event are $85 (American Express cardholders can get in for
$65).

The event is co-sponsored by the Consulado General de Mexico,
the Mexico Business Center, the San Diego County Hispanic Chamber
of Commerce, XLNC1 radio and other organizations. For information,
call (619) 231-1941, Ext. 2317.